Starch-Based Diet Staples

The following starchy foods are high enough in calories that they can serve as the center of a meal:

Whole Grains

• Barley
• Oats
• Brown Rice
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Rye
• Bulgur (Cracked Wheat)
• Triticale
• Couscous (Refined Wheat)
• Wheat Berries
• Corn
• Wild Rice
• Millet

Unrefined Flours:

• Barley
• Rice
• Buckwheat
• Rye
• Corn
• Soy
• Garbanzo Beans
• Triticale
• Lima Bean
• Wheat
• Oat
• Whole Wheat Pastry
• Potato

Egg-Free, Whole Grain Pastas:

Pastas come in many shapes. Many of these are made from highly refined flours, so be sure to choose whole grain varieties for the healthiest option.

• Artichoke Pasta
• Tomato Pasta
• Corn Pasta (No Wheat)
• Whole Wheat Pasta
• Spinach Pasta
• Rice Pasta (No Wheat)
• Bean Pasta
• Lentil Pasta

Asian Noodles:

• Bean Threads
• Somen
• Buckwheat Soba
• Udon
• Rice Noodles

Roots:

• Burdock
• Sweet Potatoes
• Celeriac (Celery Root)
• Tapioca
• Jerusalem Artichoke (Sunchoke)
• Taro Root
• Jicama
• Water Chestnuts
• Parsnips
• White Potatoes
• Rutabaga
• Yams

Carrots, beets, turnips, daikon, and salsify are low in carbohydrates and calories and so are not considered starch staples.

Winter Squashes

• Butternut
• Acorn
• Hubbard
• Banana
• Pumpkin
• Buttercup
• Turban Squash

Summer squashes usually cannot serve as the center of a meal because of their low calorie content. They are also lower in carbohydrates than winter squashes.

Legumes

Beans:

• Adzuki
• Red Kidney
• Black
• Mung
• Fava
• Navy
• Garbanzo (Chickpeas)
• Pink
• Great Northern
• Pinto
• Limas
• White Kidney (Cannellini)

Soybeans cannot be considered a starch staple because they are too high in fat to be allowed on the diet regularly.

Lentils:

• Brown
• Red
• Green

Peas:

• Black-eyed
• Split Yellow
• Split Green
• Whole Green